Can Accessories Tell Stories?
I had this thought/question in 2015 and that was can accessories (and clothing and objects) be used as tools to tell meaningful stories about our lives? I took stock of the fact that I often used an accessory in many of the essays I was writing then for various publications to do just that, like this one in The Huffington Post. I saw a pattern. I did some research. I took a very unscientific poll asking friends, colleagues and relatives their thoughts on the matter.
I couldn’t shake this idea. I re-read Love Loss and What I Wore, the 1995 book by Ilene Beckerman gifted to me by my mom in the mid 90s. I saw the off broadway play by the same title with my aunt in the late aughts. Sisters Nora and Delia Ephron wrote the play. It was amazing. It brought Beckerman’s drawings of her fabulous clothes, which told the story of her life, to light on the stage.
I read Worn Stories by Emily Spivack, the 2014 book which includes over sixty clothing-inspired narratives told in first person. Side note: Worn stories was adapted into a 2021 Netflix series by the same name which was a docu-series in which real people reveal fascinating and quirky stories around their most meaningful pieces of clothing. That was amazing too.
My hunch was correct. People do use clothing/objects/accessories to tell stories, and it seemed a lot of people want to read about/listen to/watch these stories unfold.
I hesitated wondering if perhaps I had missed the boat with this idea as it had kind of already been done. But then I remembered something that I learned in graduate school in a business strategy class. And that is that there is always room for ideas in the marketplace even if they seemed to have already been done because no one person will ever execute a similar or even the same idea in the exact same way. Pablo Picasso said “good artists copy, great artists steal.” And by stealing Pablo (can I call him Pablo?) meant that you can take someone else’s idea as a starting point and transform it into something of your own
And so I did it. I wrote Life’s Accessories: A Memoir (And Fashion Guide). Sounds so easy right? It wasn’t. Nothing ever worth doing is. It took me two years to write the book and then two years of editing and getting it in a form to be published and out into the world. I will spare you all those details now partly because I have still have a little PTSD about the day my editor told me I should cut out three chapters.
Life’s Accessories the book came out in the fall of 2019, and as cheesy as it sounds, it was my dream come true. My idea came to life in the form of a book. And BTW, if anyone reading this wants to turn my book into an off Broadway play or Netflix series, I am 100% open to that idea.
I loved sharing the book with readers and fans. Do I have fans? Not sure. I had the absolute best time promoting the book at super fun events — at bookstores, clothing stores (hello Anthropologie), yoga studios, nonprofit organizations, people’s houses and more.
And then the pandemic happened. I was at an “In Conversation” event in New York City in late February 2020 wondering, should we be here? In March of that same year, my book events shifted to this thing called Zoom where people all over the country shared with me their meaningful accessories and the stories behind them. I started baking my cookies and other treats like everyone else did in 2020. That turned into a baking show where I interviewed other authors as we baked together. One such author was this awesome person named Stephanie Goldstein.
Stephanie and I had immediate chemistry when we baked as I interviewed her and so we decided to do something else together. Again, long painful story which was a good year plus in development. It started out with a baking podcast concept (not such a great idea) and landed on a much better one — Life’s Accessories, The Podcast.
On the pod, Stephanie and I interview interesting, introspective and just really awesome people about a meaningful accessory/item/piece of clothing from their jewelry box/home/closet. And guess what? Other people’s accessories et al. do in fact tell stories, and might I say really wonderful stories.
Stephanie will tell you that after so many interviews I am jaw dropped wondering (in a really good way) did we just have that really amazing conversation? Did she just reveal that? Did we actually go there? Did that New York Times bestselling author just explain how a vintage dress gave her the confidence go be with the love of her life and get a movie made? Did that entrepreneur’s heart shaped necklace help her launch a multi-million dollar food company from a tiny little food truck? And did that gold foil skirt encourage that corporate lawyer to pursue a new career and new life of her dreams?
Yes, yes and yes. And there are 60 plus more stories (with many more in the works) that the best people (and their accessories) have told us on the pod. I could go on and on and try and describe this to you here in writing, but like my mom used to say, the proof is in the pudding. Please check out just a handful of these half hour podcast episodes below. And if you like them, please tell a friend, or two or five or ten. And please subscribe to the pod so that you never miss an episode.
Let me know what you think. I mean it. Email me at rachel@rachellevylesser.com and then please tell me what is your life’s accessory? I’ve asked people this in real life conversations and it really gets people talking. Maybe you can come on the pod and tell me more? I would love that.
In the meantime, happy listening. Click on links below to hear these most recent episodes and stories.
That you dear friends! xoxo
Finding Balance and Harmony With Peloton Yoga Instructor Kristin McGee
A Journey of a Thousand Miles and Dr. Matthew Kulka's Seriously Simple Wrist Reminder
Why Waste Your Life in a Skirt That Doesn't Fit? Lawyer-Turned-Writer Jenny Leon's Gold Skirt
She Askeyed and She Gettyed! Shi*t That I Knit Founder Christina Pardy's Gold Bangle Bracelet
An Accessory That's Not For Sale: Writer Diana Bletter's Self Esteem
Loved having you and Stephanie on Dear Nina and getting all the juicy details of how your new friendship and new project came to life.
You know I’m all over this topic — as I continue to pitch my fashion essay collection reflecting on my own love, loss, working in fashion and finding my authentic self as told through what I wore … and as a former guest!! I am grateful your book brought us together and will be even more thankful when my book gets on shelf.
Love to you and Stephanie.
xx